Panel 1: A person with the text "Singular 'they'" written on them smiling with open arms.
Panel 2: "Singular 'They'" beaten up by others who said, "Singular they is ungrammatical. It's too confusing," "How can anyone use plural pronouns for singular," and "Every pronoun should only have one purpose."
Panel 3: "You" hiding from the mob who was beating "Singular 'They'"
Panel 4: "German 'Sie'" hiding with even more fear next to "You"

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[–] BitSound 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This misses an important distinction that singular they was never used to refer to a known, specific individual until recently, and was certainly never used by Shakespeare that way.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It literally was used by Shakespeare in that fashion. If you're going to say something so confidently, at least Google it first.

[–] BitSound 1 points 1 year ago

See my other reply to you when you posted that link, but no:

https://lemmy.world/comment/1677112

The quote in your link is using singular they with a placeholder term, which is not the new usage invented in the last few years of using it to refer to a known, specific individual.